fizzle

American  

[fiz-uhl] / ˈfɪz əl /

verb (used without object)

fizzled, fizzling

1. to make a hissing or sputtering sound, especially one that dies out weakly.

2. Informal. to fail ignominiously after a good start (often followed byout ).

   The reform movement fizzled out because of poor leadership.

   Synonyms:

   founder, collapse, miscarry

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noun

1. a fizzling, hissing, or sputtering.

2. Informal. a failure; fiasco.

fizzle British  

/ ˈfɪzəl /

verb

1. to make a hissing or bubbling sound

2. informal (often foll by out) to fail or die out, esp after a promising start

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noun

1. a hissing or bubbling sound; fizz

2. informal an outright failure; fiasco

Etymology

Origin of fizzle

1525–35; earlier fysel to break wind, frequentative of *fise < Old Norse fīsa to break wind; akin to feist

Explanation

When something fizzles, it ends in a slow, sad way. Your bake sale may get off to a great start, only to fizzle once you've sold all the brownies and are left with nothing but oatmeal raisin cookies. The word fizzle has two uses — first, for talking about a failure or disappointment. Your party is a fizzle if no one shows up, and your cheerfulness is bound to fizzle after an experience like that. The second meaning is a hissing or sputtering sound, just like the word itself sounds — like the fizzle of a backyard firework or the fizzle of static on the radio as you switch stations.

Example Sentences

Steve Mott, an independent payments consultant said, "Fizzle was the watchword until they got the Chevron deal."

From Reuters • Sep. 8, 2015

He also has appeared in his own shows, including the reality series "Father Hood," which stars his wife and children, and the comedy show "Doggy Fizzle Televizzle"—a play on his trademark construction "izzle."

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2010

Established in 1877, the outpost became known as "Fort Fizzle" because Indians fleeing from Idaho to Canada merely detoured around the fortification.

From Time Magazine Archive

One week before the impact, Nature ran an article, "The Big Fizzle Is Coming," predicting that the impact would constitute nothing more than a meteor shower.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Though but one of the Fenian leaders was killed in the late Frontier Fizzle, yet many of them are reported as being badly wounded—as to their feelings.

From Punchinello, Volume 1, No. 11, June 11, 1870 by Various

Related Words

• abort
• misfire
• peter out
• wane